Elwood “Sandy” Sanders – Virginia Right!http://www.varight.com
News from Virginia, the US and the WorldThu, 08 Dec 2016 01:30:52 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.17449760Flag of Liberty Unfurled in the River City! Fauconier Makes Ballot as Libertarian!http://www.varight.com/news/flag-of-liberty-unfurled-in-the-river-city-fauconier-makes-ballot-as-libertarian/
http://www.varight.com/news/flag-of-liberty-unfurled-in-the-river-city-fauconier-makes-ballot-as-libertarian/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 01:30:52 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27470My good acquaintance Corey Fauconier garnered about 400 signatures and has filed to be the Libertarian Party candidate for the Ninth District Senate race. Corey will face Democrat Del. Jennifer McClellan (here is her website) for the January 10, 2017 special election.

Libertarian activist Corey Fauconier has qualified to have his name on the ballot in a special election next month for the Richmond area’s 9th District state Senate seat.

Fauconier, a Highland Springs resident who works for a van transportation company that serves railroads, will appear on the ballot as an independent, state officials said Wednesday, along with Del. Jennifer L. McClellan, D-Richmond.

Tonight Corey will be speaking to the Chesterfield Libertarians. I hope to have a report tomorrow.

The Republicans did not field a candidate in the Democrat-leaning district. I plan to follow this race closely. It was scary how close we had to yet another uncontested legislative race. We need to open up the political system in Virginia. Fauconier will be part of that more open system.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/flag-of-liberty-unfurled-in-the-river-city-fauconier-makes-ballot-as-libertarian/feed/027470Iowa Libertarian Party gets Major Party Status with ONLY TWO Percent of the Presidential Vote; in VA a party needs TEN Percent!http://www.varight.com/news/iowa-libertarian-party-gets-major-party-status-with-only-two-percent-of-the-presidential-vote-in-va-a-party-needs-ten-percent/
http://www.varight.com/news/iowa-libertarian-party-gets-major-party-status-with-only-two-percent-of-the-presidential-vote-in-va-a-party-needs-ten-percent/#respondWed, 07 Dec 2016 03:55:56 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27469Hat tip to Bleeding Heartland:

Record-breaking showing gives Libertarians

political party status in Iowa

Former NM Governor Gary Johnson got almost 4 percent of the vote in Iowa (and Trump still won) and the result was favorable:

Iowa Code defines a political party as “a party which, at the last preceding general election, cast for its candidate for president of the United States or for governor, as the case may be, at least two percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for that office at that election.” After clearing that bar, a non-party political organizations can apply for political party status and keep it as long as its candidates for president or governor continue to receive at least 2 percent of the vote.

The most important result is that LP candidates can get on the primary ballot and winners can advance to the general election. Now in VA, the LP would be able to have conventions instead of primaries (Not sure libertarians ought to run in primaries if they have a choice as primaries are a use of the state apparatus to choose candidates.) that would cost the party less money.

Now in VA, a party like the Libertarians need 10% of the vote. And alas, Governor Johnson could have had 20% and this would not (arguably) automatically gain major party status in Virginia due to a quirk in the law:

The Virginia Code says statewide elections give a party political party status – and the Presidential election is a national election held statewide, not a statewide election. The statewide elections in the Old Dominion are the three state offices every four years: Governor, LG and Attorney General and the US Senate races. That is why the LP needs to be strategic about its candidates. Do not run for Governor but rather LG or maybe AG.

I doubt the Hawkeye state will go to heck in a handbasket now that the LP can name their own candidates. Virginia needs better ballot access to prevent the major parties from being able to name candidates without petitioning. Maybe 2% is too low but 3 or 4 percent is much better.

Better ballot access can ensure some sort of election contest:

Iowa Libertarians nominated candidates for Iowa’s U.S. Senate seat and for the U.S. House in the third Congressional district, as well as in six Iowa Senate and twelve Iowa House districts this year. Recruiting as many state legislative candidates as possible, especially in heavily Republican areas where Democrats often don’t run, should be a high priority going into the 2018 election cycle.

Over half of the state legislature seats in Virginia were uncontested at least at the major party level. This is outrageous. I hope Delegate Rasoul will push his ballot access bills again in this 2017 Session.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/iowa-libertarian-party-gets-major-party-status-with-only-two-percent-of-the-presidential-vote-in-va-a-party-needs-ten-percent/feed/027469What Could ld YOU (or the Green Party) Buy With SEVEN MILLION dollars?http://www.varight.com/news/what-could-ld-you-or-the-green-party-buy-with-seven-million-dollars/
http://www.varight.com/news/what-could-ld-you-or-the-green-party-buy-with-seven-million-dollars/#commentsThu, 01 Dec 2016 03:31:19 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27467Here is the Politico article on the quixotic (that is being kind) effort by Green Party Presidential candidate Jill Stein’s efforts to recount key Trump winning states (WI, MI, PA) from the November 8 election.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein formally added Michigan to the list of states she’s hoping to conduct a recount of the Nov. 8 election results.

The Green Party presidential candidate announced Wednesday that she had filed for a manual hand recount of every vote in Michigan. To do that Stein also had to pay a $973,250 fee. Since the Nov. 8 presidential election Stein has raised almost $7 million in her effort to trigger recounts in three states: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Nearly seven million dollars! How much could you buy for seven million dollars? I know what I could do with this money if say I had to spend it on charity: Lots of missions trips to all corners of the world to spread the Good News that Jesus died for your sins and all can be holy! (The standard construction “kit” for materials for a Nazarene missions project is $10,000.00 – so seven million dollars would equip 700 trips – and there are nearly 900 projects [although a fair number of them need several teams each bringing $10k in materials] on the Work and Witness list!)

Let’s restrict it to politics then: What could the Green Party USA do with seven million dollars? That could buy an awful lot of ballot access for sure! seven million dollars divided among 51 states and DC would be just under $140,000 per state. Probably have Green candidates for all three VA statewide offices and a few dollars for at least radio and newspaper ads to boot! Maybe a presence in the NJ election and a Green Party hopeful for Mayor of NYC. Lots of congressional or statewide elections in all fifty states in 2017 or 2018. If you wait until 2020 – lots of Presidential splash for whoever the Greens run (time to drop Jill Stein – I used to admire her even though I disagreed with her on many issues – it takes guts to run for national office like that on a shoestring – know you won’t even come close to winning – but raise important issues to the fore – but my admiration for Dr. Stein is rapidly diminishing. If I were a Green Party member, I’d say: Either she goes or I go!) for the White House in the next election.

The Green Party ought to be mad as fire at Stein’s stunt. Seven million dollars for a useless recount in two or three states. A total waste of money. I know the Libertarians could use the money, too. Maybe former Green Party members can embrace true liberty and get into the LP.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/what-could-ld-you-or-the-green-party-buy-with-seven-million-dollars/feed/227467A Modest Proposal for Delegate Sam Rasoul: Run for Lieutenant Governor as a Democrat (or even maybe a Libertarian)!http://www.varight.com/news/a-modest-proposal-for-delegate-sam-rasoul-run-for-lieutenant-governor-as-a-democrat-or-even-maybe-a-libertarian/
http://www.varight.com/news/a-modest-proposal-for-delegate-sam-rasoul-run-for-lieutenant-governor-as-a-democrat-or-even-maybe-a-libertarian/#commentsFri, 25 Nov 2016 17:42:00 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27460I sure hope Del. Rasoul isn’t upset at me on this – he is an idealistic young (well younger than me – he’s 35 and I am – well old enough I’ll need to lay down after writing this part of the blog post!) legislator who is in politics for the right reasons. Consider these bills from 2016:

Ballot Access (HB 82) (I agreed so much I collaborated with Del. Rasoul on this idea and then blogged on it and then spoke to the subcommittee that killed the bill)

Redistricting reform (HB 303) (I disagree – but this is the idealist position and I respect it)

Top two primary system (HB 1040) (I disagree – see the US senate race in California where the top two were both liberal Democrats. But again this is the idealist position – Del. Rasoul thinks this will cause the parties to run candidates closer to the center of their party.)

Juvenile sentencing reform (HB53) (This bill would give juvenile offenders who commit serious non-homicide crimes a chance at parole after the offender turns 35 or 20 years of his/her sentence. I would make it 4o or 45 or 30 years. The SCOTUS will probably in next several years mandate us do it. In that sense, Rasoul is ahead of his time.)

Rasoul also collaborated with Senator Dance on the statewide indigent defense study bill (SJ 51) and plans to introduce this bill in this (2017) session as amended last year by the Senate Rules Committee to limit the study to a statewide appellate defender system.

Now yes, Del. Rasoul did introduce some bills that are traditionally liberal (The ERA for example) but he’s the real deal: I actually got the Richmond Crusade for Voters to have the delegate from Roanoke as a speaker and I got to know him better. I admire him a lot.

So, here is the Times-Dispatch article on his resignation from a leadership position in the Democratic House Caucus:

Virginia’s only Muslim-American state lawmaker resigned from his Democratic leadership post Friday and called for a “massive overhaul” in the party to reconnect with working-class voters after Donald Trump’s presidential victory.

***

Rasoul called himself a “proud Democrat,” but said “the establishment does not want to change.” Rather than change the platform, Rasoul said, the party needs to rethink its communication strategy to build trust and listen to people’s concerns.

But the platform needs to change – and Sam Rasoul is the perfect one to do it. (I heard a bit of the delegate’s interview on the John Fredericks Show and he won the respect and admiration of Fredericks! So, here’s where we are – hoping the delegate is not too upset at me!

Delegate Rasoul should boldly seek out a forum big enough for the ideals he espouses so well. He should run for Lieutenant Governor. Here’s my thesis:

Governor is pretty much taken (LG Ralph Northam is the solid favorite and has probably tied up all the money available) and it might be seen as a big jump from delegate to the Governor’s mansion.

There is also the issue of funds: it would take millions to run for governor and Del. Rasoul would need several millions to have even a chance to overtake Northam and several million more to win the election.

But in the last (2013) election, the funds spent on the Lieutenant Governor’s race was nowhere near what was spent on either the Governor’s (over SIXTY million dollars!) or Attorney General’s race (Check out how close that election was? But Rasoul is not a lawyer so he is not eligible for AG).

The obstacles are not insurmountable for a Rasoul run for LG as a Democrat. Even a hint of the idealism of Bobby Kennedy in this race. He wants VA Dems to go in a different – positive, issue oriented, direction.

But if he wants to be on the General Election ballot – perhaps consider the Libertarian Party. Maybe he could be the candidate for Lieutenant Governor I have advocated to get the 10% the LP would need for ballot access. His theme: Open up the Virginia political system! Every vote counts and 10% is the victory to open up the system!

Why not Governor as a Libertarian? In the general election, the governor’s race tends to be a “lesser of two evils” election and thus it would be very difficult for a independent or Libertarian to get the ten percent to win ballot access.

I cannot speak for or promise the LP’s nomination. (I would help Sam out for sure – talk him up of course – even consider joining the LP to help the delegate – to paraphrase the President, I only need a pen and the right piece of paper!) Delegate Rasoul would have to seek it out – and let me tell you – I know many libertarians and regard them with great respect – but they are a tough crowd to win over. Got to espouse ideas. But I would favorably consider helping Sam for either the Dems or the Libertarians if he ran for LG (there goes four more years out of the Hanover GOP Committee!); I think Millennials and those tuned out by politics might find a Rasoul candidacy fulfilling. His Muslim religion might speak to marginalized persons in the process as a plus. (Of course some of my conservative friends would be upset and I do care but so be it!)

I think Del. Rasoul would have a chance to really open up the political system in the Old Dominion. That would do all of us a favor.

My first choice: Boldly switch parties and become the first Southern state legislator to be a LP member then resign and run for the office, win it in the special election, and then move right to the LG as a LP. Let’s get that ten percent and open up the clubby political system in the Old Dominion.

But even as a Democrat, Rasoul would open up the political system. If he gets a sizeable vote as either a Libertarian or a Democrat, it opens up a constituency for his ideas.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/a-modest-proposal-for-delegate-sam-rasoul-run-for-lieutenant-governor-as-a-democrat-or-even-maybe-a-libertarian/feed/327460Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving – Guest Post by Attorney Gilbert Harrison Bergerhttp://www.varight.com/news/giving-thanks-for-thanksgiving-guest-post-by-attorney-gilbert-harrison-berger/
http://www.varight.com/news/giving-thanks-for-thanksgiving-guest-post-by-attorney-gilbert-harrison-berger/#respondTue, 22 Nov 2016 01:23:10 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27461This is a guest post by an attorney and dear friend of mine, Gilbert Harrison Berger (he ran for Commonwealth’s attorney in Orange in 2011 as discerning readers of this blog will remember!):

Thankful for having the opportunity to have a day of thanksgiving.

When you are a young child and grow up surrounded by holiday events and traditions that you experience – but mostly as an emotion, you are not necessarily given the chance, due to cultural reality, to option out of the event. It is not that you would not want to experience the event even if you fully knew the reasons and history behind it. Simply, as a young child, understanding, knowledge, and the ability to overrule parental authority, are very limited realities. For better or worse (mostly better in my youth) you just roll along with the experience as you routinely do during childhood. Besides, what child rejects any tradition when it is filled with seasonal excitements crammed full of celebrations, special foods – particularly desserts, and shared appreciations for the occasion among family and friends? Thanksgiving, the holiday, was such an experience for me.

If you grew up in an area where you enjoyed all of the majesty of the changing seasons, then I suspect that you can relate to what I refer to as “Thanksgiving time.” A time and season when your senses are dazzled with a backdrop of fall color changes exploding everywhere where there was once green foliage. It is a time when cooler to colder temperatures begin to alter your outerwear options. It is a time when morning frosts and first snow falls flirt with crops and cars alike. Advancing through the month of November is a march of emotions fresh off of the trick-or-treating Halloween holiday. A countdown of days begin on the calendar for “that day” when the festive, feasting hour will occur. But, most importantly, it is a time when our sense of smell is on full alert in anticipation of those wonderful smells that will emanate from the kitchen, where all sorts of the finest selection of desserts, salads, vegetables, casseroles, relish trays, breads and meats are arrayed; the greatest and most prized of all: the roasted turkey.

I remember back to when school would be closed (but not for long enough). There would be the plotting and planning for one’s place in the T.V. room to reserve, or fight over, the best viewing seats for watching the annual, epic, television event; the balloon filled pageantry of the Macy’s – New York – Thanksgiving Day Parade. Later in the day when football games pacified our waning energies, we wound down from all the activity centered on the preparing and devouring of that feast. Though overwhelmed with food and fun it was a rare occasion when the focus of the holiday shifted from the festivities to that of a thoughtful reflection of the history surrounding the event. At school, we would be told of stories of pilgrims from the old world, who ventured across an ocean with a hope of planting a promise of a better life upon the shores of a newer world. Stories of the native people with whom they engaged and to whom they owed a great deal of thanks for their survival. As it has been passed down through history, the story goes that these two peoples gathered together upon invitation of the pilgrim settlers for an occasion to celebrate and give thanks to God for their success in the new world. To my surprise, I have recently learned that that first Thanksgiving was an event that lasted three days and had been attended by 90 natives and 53 Pilgrims (Wikipedia sources). However, it was President Lincoln, in combination with President F.D. Roosevelt, who can be credited with the fourth Thursday in November as the recognized holiday for our Country. (Wikipedia sources). But, I cannot say that as a child, and as I passed through my school years, that I ever learned that we credit our first President, George Washington, with establishing a “recognized” day of thanksgiving to God. Again, crediting Wikipedia, I found that “on October 3, 1789 … Washington made the following proclamation and created the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the national government of the United States of America:

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

This year – we, in our tradition, can look back over almost 400 years of history in this new world. We can still celebrate, with those willing to unite in celebration, a holiday of thanks to God as did our Pilgrim ancestors. Despite the outcome of an election, as divided as we may appear to be, we can all choose to peaceably and honorably strive to keep and improve upon, in peaceful and respectful ways, a form of government that ensures our safety and happiness. I choose this year to echo the proclamation of President Washington and to be thankful for having the opportunity to have a day of thanksgiving. “George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation. October 3, 1789”.

“Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease [sic] of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.” (George Washington Papers. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2008-01-26. Source Wikipedia.)

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/giving-thanks-for-thanksgiving-guest-post-by-attorney-gilbert-harrison-berger/feed/027461LIBERTY and SOVEREIGNTY are On the March – FOUR Nations Renounce the International Criminal Court – MORE Should Join them – Thanks to John Bolton and President G. W. Bush US Has Been Out Since 2002!http://www.varight.com/news/liberty-and-sovereignty-are-on-the-march-four-nations-renounce-the-international-criminal-court-more-should-join-them-thanks-to-john-bolton-and-president-g-w-bush-us-has-been-out-since-2002/
http://www.varight.com/news/liberty-and-sovereignty-are-on-the-march-four-nations-renounce-the-international-criminal-court-more-should-join-them-thanks-to-john-bolton-and-president-g-w-bush-us-has-been-out-since-2002/#respondThu, 17 Nov 2016 04:13:17 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27458There was a (discreet) victory lap at work today at the news:

Russia to Withdraw From the International Criminal Court

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree for Russia to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

The president’s decree, published on an official portal for legal information, says to “accept the proposal of the Russian Ministry of Justice in agreement with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other federal bodies of executive power, along with the Russian Supreme Court, the General Prosecutor of the Russian Federation and the Russian Investigative Committee, about sending the Secretary General of the United Nations notice of the intention of the Russian Federation to no longer be a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.”

Technically, Russia never ratified the ICC but rather just signed the Rome Treaty. This action removes the Russian signature on the treaty.

The Administration eventually did sign the treaty, however, near the end of President Clinton’s term in office. President Clinton explained that the treaty had “significant flaws,” but that “[w]ith signature . . . we will be in a position to influence the evolution of the court.” [4] He also stated that he would not recommend that the next President submit the treaty to the Senate for its advice and consent “until our fundamental concerns are satisfied.” [5] As discussed in last month’s ASIL Insights, the Statute recently received sufficient ratifications to take effect and, pursuant to Article 126 of the treaty, will enter into force on July 1, 2002.

But this signature was withdrawn and note who is a key player in this wonderful patriotic drama (bolded):

On May 6, 2002, the Bush Administration announced that the United States does not intend to become a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. John Bolton, the Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, sent a letter to Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, stating that “the United States does not intend to become a party to the treaty,” and that, “[a]ccordingly, the United States has no legal obligations arising from its signature on December 31, 2000.” [1]

The same John Bolton being considered as President Trump’s Secretary of State. And the President-elect ought to swiftly appoint Bolton to the top post at Foggy Bottom. Why?

Bolton is a sovereignty guy – he has a proper skepticism of the UN, the ICC and similar international institutions.

Bolton supported Trump with scores of other Bush-era officials either sat on the sidelines or endorsed Hillary Clinton.

Bolton is a perfect “bad cop” for Trump to send clear messages to other nations.

But there is even better news: Several African nations, led by South Africa, are withdrawing from the ICC as well! Try this great paragraph:

South Africa has become the second African country to announce that it plans to leave the International Criminal Court, a decision that campaigners for international justice say could lead to a devastating exodus from the embattled institution.

Burundi has informed U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of its decision to quit the International Criminal Court, it said on Wednesday, adding momentum to mounting African opposition to the Hague-based tribunal.

Gambia has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, accusing the Hague-based tribunal of “persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans”.

***

The court had been used “for the persecution of Africans and especially their leaders” while ignoring crimes committed by the West, Sheriff Bojang, Gambia’s information minister, said on state television.

He singled out the case of Tony Blair, former British prime minister, whom the ICC decided not to indict over the Iraq war.

Gambia is right of course. A permanent member of the Security Council is pretty much exempt from prosecution (although the ICC could target individuals like President Bush) and the targets of the ICC are small nations such as Kenya.

Now I do not favor Tony Blair or anyone else to be targeted by the International Criminal Court. The power is simply not there – did we give the UN power to jail persons? When? 1945? Or later? I know international lawyers will say some sort of legal doctrine(s) such as the UN Charter or the Rome Treaty itself gives that power. BUT I reject that doctrine. Rather I contend the Constitution is the supreme law of the land (next to the Bible most dear) and if we lose a sovereign Constitution, we lose all our rights.

“There is a real chance that there will now be large-scale African withdrawals,” said David L. Bosco, an associate professor of international studies at Indiana University who has written a book on the court. “The Burundi decision was easy to dismiss as a government seeking to avoid direct scrutiny; South Africa’s is much more significant. The African Union has been a forum for anti-I.C.C. sentiment, and countries like Kenya and Uganda may now seek to capitalize on the momentum.”

The perceived obsession of the court to go after sitting African leaders, analysts say, will inspire a mass withdrawal with other countries like Kenya, Namibia, Chad and Uganda having sent signals to that effect. “There is the general feeling among African leaders that they have willingly volunteered to be members of the court but are the ones who are heavily targeted. Again the perceived feeling of double standards by the court is igniting the discontent among the continental leaders.

Bring it on! The ICC meddled in the internal affairs of Kenya for a prior presidential election and was about to do the same in Burundi. And even the prosecution of the President of Sudan, Omar Hassan Al Bashir, was dubious due to the failure of Sudan to ratify the Rome Treaty. Read from the ICC website:

Sudan is not a State Party to the Rome Statute. However, since the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC in Resolution 1593 (2005) on 31 March 2005, the ICC may exercise its jurisdiction over crimes listed in the Rome Statute committed on the territory of Darfur, Sudan, or by its nationals from 1 July 2002 onwards.

It is appalling to consider that the United Nations Security Council can in effect indict a person on serious criminal charges with the threat of jail even if that nation does not want to be under that jurisdiction. Who gave the UN that authority? I say no one did. You and I should reject that dangerous power. It will be used against global warming deniers or Christians (or US soldiers or officials), I can assure you, at some point in the future.

There was an attempt to arrest former Libya strongman Gadhafi pursuant to a ICC warrant, even though the African nation had not placed itself under the treaty’s jurisdiction:

Libya is not a State Party to the Rome Statute. However, on 26 February 2011, the United Nations Security Council unanimously referred the situation in Libya since 15 February 2011 to the ICC in Resolution 1970 (2011). ICC may therefore exercise its jurisdiction over crimes listed in the Rome Statute committed on the territory of Libya or by its nationals from 15 February 2011 onwards.

So I say: Let all the smaller nations set the example – not just in Africa – but around the world – let them leave the ICC and watch it die like the League of Nations did.

The Trump administration should do these four things:

Appoint Ambassador Bolton Secretary of State

Announce its support for nations that leave the ICC

Refuse to support any other trials or referrals by the UN or the ICC

Indicate that we will veto any attempt to continue to fund or support the Court.

This will probably seal my fate as a potential Trump adviser (Yes, I took the risk of presumption but I did send in my materials – willing to serve and I think I could help President Trump MAGA – but I regard it as a very long shot. Most of those plum jobs were spoken for already before the election.) but we must do the right. The International Criminal Court pretends to be a noble and upright institution (many who serve it are upright and think they are doing right) but it is an unmitigated force with neither the power nor right to act and will either only threaten smaller nations or will be used against the US and its officials and soldiers – or those not part of the Zeitgeist, including those opposed to world government.

But today let’s cheer these nations on – it is a force for liberty and sovereignty!

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/liberty-and-sovereignty-are-on-the-march-four-nations-renounce-the-international-criminal-court-more-should-join-them-thanks-to-john-bolton-and-president-g-w-bush-us-has-been-out-since-2002/feed/027458And the WINNER of the 2016 Presidential Election is (and he also Won in 2008 and 2012) is…RON PAUL!!!http://www.varight.com/news/and-the-winner-of-the-2016-election-presidential-election-is-and-he-also-won-in-2008-and-2012-is-ron-paul/
http://www.varight.com/news/and-the-winner-of-the-2016-election-presidential-election-is-and-he-also-won-in-2008-and-2012-is-ron-paul/#respondFri, 11 Nov 2016 02:57:48 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27443In 2016, we had an event unprecedented in US history – the same person won three consecutive Presidential elections. And it did not even violate the 22nd Amendment!

In 2008, Paul won the election – not the office – but his ideas were heard in the GOP primaries and millions heard them – it planted a seed for the future. The first Tea Party event was the December 16, 2007 money bomb and rally in Boston in support of Ron Paul.

In 2012, Paul ran again – and gained even more followers (and some of the local/state GOP organizations, too) and extended the ideas of liberty. His people “won” several blocs of delegates (enough states that the Romney people cheated twice I understand to keep the Paul supporters from bring his name to the floor [I almost voted for Gary Johnson over this and believe me, had it not been necessary to vote out President Obama – alas unsuccessfully – I would have voted LP!] and having a moment of glory in an otherwise scripted convention.) and now tea party and other groups began to pick up more of Paul’s issues: Surveillance state, civil forfeiture, smaller government, non-intervention, audit the Fed, education as state/local issue, sovereignty issues, etc.

Remember these Paul greatest hits:

In answer to the question to name three agencies of the Federal Government to abolish (I paraphrase):

“I’d start with the departments: The Departments of Energy, Education and Homeland Security…”

This hit almost immediately led to the famous encounter with my new hero – former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani over 9/11.

Trump called for the abolition of the Department of Education and is against Common Core (which is a gateway to a national curriculum):

Trump has said he’d dismantle the Education Department — a decades-old conservative talking point. Still, a complete shutdown of the agency is unlikely to happen. His surrogates have said he’ll at least “downsize” the department to an entity that just allocates funding.

***

Some of his pitches, like scrapping Common Core and ending political correctness on campus, are clearly outside the bounds of what a president can actually do.

(BTW, memo to the writer at Politico: Yes he can – use Federal influence and maybe funds too to discourage the states from taking Common Core and implementing speech codes and the like. Let’s call it Global Warming for snowflake protection!)

How about the one where Newt Gingrich was talking about $2.50 a gallon gas (in 2012) and Paul showed a silver dime and said (in effect):

“I can do Newt one better – I can promise you a gallon of gas for a dime (and Paul shows the silver dime) if you use this silver dime…”

So now in 2016, Donald Trump wins the Presidency with an “America First” foreign policy – no unnecessary wars, ending the so-called global warming treaty, making our allies pay a larger share of expenses of their own defense, no more policeman of the world, skepticism about the UN and world institutions, support for Brexit, better trade agreements etc…

The direction I will outline today will also return us to a timeless principle. My foreign policy will always put the interests of the American people, and American security, above all else. That will be the foundation of every decision that I will make.

America First will be the major and overriding theme of my administration.

***

It all began with the dangerous idea that we could make Western democracies out of countries that had no experience or interest in becoming a Western Democracy.

We tore up what institutions they had and then were surprised at what we unleashed. Civil war, religious fanaticism; thousands of American lives, and many trillions of dollars, were lost as a result. The vacuum was created that ISIS would fill. Iran, too, would rush in and fill the void, much to their unjust enrichment.

***

We are getting out of the nation-building business, and instead focusing on creating stability in the world.

***

However, unlike other candidates for the presidency, war and aggression will not be my first instinct. You cannot have a foreign policy without diplomacy. A superpower understands that caution and restraint are signs of strength.

Although not in government service, I was totally against the War in Iraq, saying for many years that it would destabilize the Middle East. Sadly, I was correct, and the biggest beneficiary was Iran, who is systematically taking over Iraq and gaining access to their rich oil reserves – something it has wanted to do for decades. And now, to top it all off, we have ISIS.

***

We will no longer surrender this country, or its people, to the false song of globalism.

The nation-state remains the true foundation for happiness and harmony. I am skeptical of international unions that tie us up and bring America down, and will never enter America into any agreement that reduces our ability to control our own affairs.

Now not all Trump’s foreign policy is Ron Paul’s: The former Texas Congressman might not be as favorable toward Israel and Trump favors economic sanctions against Iran that Paul (and I, too) oppose.

So, over 57 million people voted for what is essentially a Ron Paul foreign policy – and his foreign policy was his most controversial plank in his platform – and a number of the domestic policies too. Yes, Ron Paul won the election in 2016 – not the office – but his issues are shaping the nation. Go have that sweet tea or if you are inclined (I do not touch alcohol) a glass of wine from a Trump winery. Zola wrote (and I paraphrase): Truth is on the march and nothing shall stop it!

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/and-the-winner-of-the-2016-election-presidential-election-is-and-he-also-won-in-2008-and-2012-is-ron-paul/feed/027443YES Clinton Is for DRAFT Registration For Our Daughters! (So Is Lindsey Graham!)http://www.varight.com/news/yes-clinton-is-for-draft-registration-for-our-daughters-so-is-lindsey-graham/
http://www.varight.com/news/yes-clinton-is-for-draft-registration-for-our-daughters-so-is-lindsey-graham/#commentsSat, 29 Oct 2016 18:58:02 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27383I do not cite InfoWars often but they are right about this issue even if the memes (had to ask my kids: “What’s a meme?”) are misleading – no one has proposed seriously a draft for men or women. But Secretary Clinton (and Sen. Lindsey Graham, too) have called for registration of young women for a potential draft.

Political satire has a long history to make serious points and there are few more serious than the potential to draft women. I have two teenage daughters and I’d (peacefully and lawfully of course) hit the streets if they subject women to the draft. We dads protect our daughters (I thought about entering one of those AR-15 contests just for the wonderful prop to show the boys who come to my house!) and moms should too.

“I support it,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who served in the Air Force for years, told HuffPost last month. “I don’t think you want to take half your population off the sidelines in case of a national emergency.”

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) added that “it’s just a matter of time” until women are treated equally in the military.

Can 2020 come fast enough for the people of South Carolina? It is barbaric for a civilized nation to even consider subjecting women to a military draft (and not much better for men to be subjected to it) and people should not stand for it. The Supreme Court has already held that a male-only draft registration scheme is not discrimination against men.

Meantime, back in 2016, if you have a daughter – think about taking her down to the post office to register for the military draft and that Secretary Clinton supports that. Think about that when you vote November 8.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/yes-clinton-is-for-draft-registration-for-our-daughters-so-is-lindsey-graham/feed/227383I Did Vote YES to John Bolton’s “Will Hillary Clinton Be Indicted” Poll – Let me Explain…http://www.varight.com/news/i-did-vote-yes-to-john-boltons-will-hillary-clinton-be-indicted-poll-let-me-explain/
http://www.varight.com/news/i-did-vote-yes-to-john-boltons-will-hillary-clinton-be-indicted-poll-let-me-explain/#respondSat, 29 Oct 2016 17:35:15 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27382John Bolton is something of a hero of mine even though he is certainly more in the neocon camp than I am totally comfortable with. However, Bolton’s past shows him to be a nationalist, anti-globalist, and more than a tinge of libertarianism (Bolton was for gay marriage almost before it was popular) and he would have been my first choice for President in the unlikely event Ronulus Magnus II (former Cong. Ron Paul) did not run this time.

And unlike way too many Bush officials, Bolton has stated his support for Trump. And yes he’d be a whale of a Secretary of State!

So when John Bolton asked me and 11 million others to give an opinion if Sec. Clinton will be indicted (she should have been of course but probably allowed to plead to a misdemeanor) I said yes.

Now I explain my vote: I think if Trump wins the election, the FBI will move against Clinton and they will indeed allow her to plead to a misdemeanor, do community service, and that will be the end of it – all before January 20, 2017.

If Clinton wins, FBI Director Comey better flee to Botswana (we do not have an extradition treaty with Botswana and they speak English officially) right away!

By the way I saw a wonderful juxtaposition of political signs in a Mechanicsville neighborhood: Hillary for Prison 2016 and two doors down in a townhouse community Clinton-Kaine and the Dem for Congress signs. I never reveal my sources but I spoke to the “Hillary for Prison” sign owner and told him about the blog!

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)

]]>http://www.varight.com/news/i-did-vote-yes-to-john-boltons-will-hillary-clinton-be-indicted-poll-let-me-explain/feed/027382Great Encouraging Report from Minnesota – Trump Leads in 8th Cong. Dist by TWELVE points!http://www.varight.com/news/great-encouraging-report-from-minnesota-trump-leads-in-8th-cong-dist-by-twelve-points/
http://www.varight.com/news/great-encouraging-report-from-minnesota-trump-leads-in-8th-cong-dist-by-twelve-points/#commentsThu, 27 Oct 2016 03:13:59 +0000http://www.varight.com/?p=27373This is from The Gateway Pundit, a new site that had interesting articles like this one about the 30-50 people that came to the Tim Kaine rally in Florida and some evidence that black vote for Trump is up (I note his interesting name: Jim Hoft – not this Jim Hoeft) but it is an encouraging site to go to – thanks to Lew Rockwell for the original cite of it – and this article hits a bit close to home.

UPDATE: OOPS! I forgot to honor the writer of this post: Tom Franklin at American Lookout! Sorry Tom!

The Eighth Congressional District in Minnesota is where Nina and I went on our honeymoon many years ago – first night in Duluth in a fancy hotel and the week in the inaptly named small town of Grand Marais.

Well, there’s good news from the 8th – Trump is ahead by TWELVE (12) points! It’s a poll from Channel 5 in St. Paul (KSTP) and the polls primary interest is the Congressional race which is surprisingly tight (The GOP hopeful is actually ahead in this poll) but this was said:

However, even a superior get-out-the-vote operation might be more difficult in 2016 because the top of the Democratic ticket, Hillary Clinton, appears to be very unpopular in the 8th District. Our poll shows Republican Donald Trump with a 12-point lead over Clinton, 47 percent to 35 percent. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson gets four percent, Jill Stein of the Green Party is at three percent and 10 percent either prefer someone else or are undecided.

The voters polled cited loss of jobs to trade, economic nationalism and Obamacare (apparently the Dem in this race favors a simple payer NHS style health care system) but there is a caveat:

By comparison, Clinton leads Trump by eight points in the 2nd District, 44 percent to 36 percent, and she leads Trump by 13 points in the 3rd District, 48 percent to 35 percent.

(The 2nd is south and east of St. Paul and the 3rd surrounds Minneapolis to the west) But I would be encouraged – give up reading the MSM if you have to – there may be more support for Trump than you might think. I think the Obamacare issue might have traction and Trump should cite it at every speech. The President might rue the day he did not force the insurers to stay quiet on rate increases until November 15.

I think if we do not get a last minute surprise, Trump will blow open a close race and win about 40 states.

Elwood "Sandy" Sanders is a Hanover attorney who is an Appellate Procedure Consultant for Lantagne Legal Printing and has written ten scholarly legal articles. Sandy was also Virginia's first Appellate Defender and also helped bring curling in VA! (None of these titles imply any endorsement of Sanders’ views)